"That's gonna be a blessing." Kentucky teammates eager for Adou Thiero's return

Nothing has been made official, but all signs are pointing toward Adou Thiero returning to action this Saturday against Arkansas.

The Kentucky sophomore has been out with a back injury since Dec. 21 against Louisville. Kentucky has played seven games since, winning five, but clearly missing the physical presence that Thiero brings to the hardwood. The absence of his 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame was especially felt against South Carolina when the Gamecocks bullied Kentucky from start to finish in a 79-62 win for the Gamecocks.

Thiero has been practicing this week and is trending toward a return. He was at shootaround ahead of Tuesday’s game against South Carolina but wasn’t quite ready to step into action (although John Calipari sure thought he was). Calipari said during his radio show on Wednesday that Thiero will play against Arkansas if he continues to practice on Thursday and Friday.

If Thiero does ultimately suit up for the Wildcats this weekend, it’ll mark the first time all season that Kentucky has a full, healthy roster ready to roll. That will provide a challenge for Calipari when it comes to figuring out the rotation and who should play the most minutes, but it feels safe to say Thiero will factor in some way. His athleticism, rebounding, physicality, and defense provide something that Kentucky could certainly use more of.

“Man, that’s gonna be a blessing,” Kentucky freshman center Aaron Bradshaw said on Friday of Thiero’s impending return. “Adou do all the stuff that we need. He blocks shots, he goes for rebounds, he attacks the rim, and he can shoot. I don’t care what nobody saying. My man can shoot.”

“The energy he brings, it’s second to none,” Kentucky veteran forward Tre Mitchell added. “Some of the plays he makes are some really big plays. It provides a spark for our team and we feed off of that. On top of that, Adou is one of the strongest people on this team and he’s not afraid to get physical, he’s not afraid to put his body on the line, and that’s part of the reason why he wasn’t with us for a minute is because he was leaving absolutely everything out there and sacrificing himself for this team. We’re excited to get him back and looking forward to what he’s gonna bring.”

Thiero has played just 10 games for Kentucky so far this season, including eight starts. But his impact is felt on both ends of the floor. In 23 minutes per game, he’s averaging 7.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while shooting just a hair under 53 percent from the field.

Against a desperate Arkansas team on Saturday, having Thiero’s size and strength on the floor will be a welcome addition for UK.

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